This document contains a glossary of terms related to sound design and production for computer games. It provides researched definitions from online sources for terms like Foley artistry, sound libraries, file formats like .wav and .aiff, compression types, audio hardware limitations, recording systems, MIDI, sampling, and more. For each term, it also describes the relevance to the author's own production practice, such as how sound libraries are used to store sound effects for use in projects.

1. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
1
Produce a glossary of terms specific to the methods and principles of sound design and production. Using a provided template, you must
research and gather definitions specific to provided glossary terms. Any definitions must be referenced with the URL link of the website you
have obtained the definition.
You must also, where possible, provide specific details of how researched definitions relate to your own production practice.
Name: Brienna Hick RESEARCHED DEFINITION (provide short internet
researched definition and URL link)
DESCRIBE THE RELEVANCE OF THE
RESEARCHED TERM TO YOUR OWN
PRODUCTION PRACTICE?
SOUND DESIGN
METHODOLOGY
Foley Artistry Foleyartists matchlive sound effects with the action ofthe
picture.
The sound effects are laid "manually" and not cut inwithfilm.
http://www.filmsound.org/terminology/foley.htm
FoleyArtistryis the creationandmatching
of sound effects to the actions happening
in a picture. These effects are not cut in
with the filmandare laidmanually.
Sound Libraries a collectionof sounds storedon file (for example on CDs, DVDs,
or as digitalaudio files)
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/sound-
library
A sound libraryis where theystore a
collectionof sounds that canbe takenout
and usedat anytime. Theycanbe stored
on CDs, DVDs or as a digitalaudio file.
SOUND FILE FORMATS Uncompressed Uncompressedaudiofiles are the most accurate digital
representation of a soundwave, but can also be the most
resource-intensive methodof recording andstoring digital
audio, bothinterms of storage andmanagement. Their
accuracymakes themsuitable for archiving and delivering
audioat high resolution, andworking withaudio at a
professional level, andtheyare the 'master' audioformat of
choice.
http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/guide/uncompressed-audio-
file-formats
Uncompressedaudiofiles are the
“master” audioformat as theyare the
most accurate digital representation ofa
soundwave. This accuracymakes themthe
most suitable for storingand delivering
high resolutionaudio and working with
audioat a professional level.
.wav Waveform AudioFile Format (WAVE, or more commonly
known as WAV due to its filename extension) (rarely, Audiofor
Windows)is a Microsoft andIBMaudio file format standard for
storing an audiobitstream onPCs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAV
.wavor waveform is anaudiofile format
that is the standardfile type for storing
audiobitstreamon PCs.
.aiff Audio Interchange File Format (AIFF) is an audiofile format
standardusedfor storing sound data for personal computers
and other electronic audio devices.
AIFF is a fileformat whichis used for the
storage ofsounddata onPCs andother
electronic audio devices.

2. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Interchange_File_Format
.au AU is a file extensionfor a soundfile format belongingto Sun,
NeXT and DECandusedinUNIX. The AU file format is also
known as the Sparc-audioor u-law fomat.
AU files containthree parts:the audio data andtext for a
header (containing 24 bytes) andan annotationblock.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/fileformat/AU-Sun-NeXT-DEC-
UNIX-sound-file
An .au file is a file containingthree parts
(audiodata, text for the header and an
annotationblock)andIs a soundfile
format that belongs to Sunandusedin
UNIX.
.smp Music file usedbySmartMusic, a music practice application for
band, orchestra, andvoice; saves an accompaniment that can
be usedfor practicing solos andother musical parts;includes
the sheet music informationandcan be used for assessment;
replacedbythe .SMPXin Finale 2014.
http://fileinfo.com/extension/smp
.smp is a file type used bySmartMusic.
Lossy Compression lossycompressionreduces a file bypermanentlyeliminating
certaininformation, especiallyredundant information. When
the file is uncompressed, onlya part ofthe original information
is still there (althoughthe user maynot notice it). Lossy
compressionis generallyusedfor videoandsound, where a
certainamount of information loss willnot be detectedby
most users.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/lossless-and-lossy-
compression
Lossycompressioneliminatescertain
informationfroma file permanentlyin
order to reduce it. Onlysome ofthe
originalinformationwill stillbe present
once the file is uncompressed, although
the user maynot notice this as it usually
losesthe redundant aspects of the file.
.mp3 MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer-3)is a standardtechnologyand
format for compressing a soundsequence intoa very small file
(about one-twelfth the size ofthe original file) while preserving
the original level of soundqualitywhenit is played. MP3
provides near CD qualityaudio.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/fileformat/MP3-MPEG-Audio-
Layer-3-AC3-file
Mp3 compresses a soundsequence intoa
smaller file whilst still keepingits original
soundqualitywhenplayed.
AUDIO LIMITATIONS Sound Processor Unit (SPU) The SPU is the unit responsible for allaural capabilities ofthe
psx. It handles 24 voices, has a 512kbsoundbuffer, hasADSR
envelope filters for each voice andlots of other features.
http://psx.rules.org/spu.txt
Digital Sound Processor (DSP) Digital signal processors take a digital signal and process it to
improve the signal intoclearer sound, faster data or sharper
images. Digital Signal Processors use video, voice, audio,
temperature or position signals that have beendigitizedand
Digital signal processors process a digital
signal andimprove the signal so that it is
clearer. Thisis usedto create clearer
sound, faster data or sharper images.

3. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
3
mathematicallymanipulate them.
http://www.futureelectronics.com/en/microprocessors/digital-
signal-processors.aspx
Random Access Memory (RAM) RAM(pronounced ramm) is anacronym for randomaccess
memory, a type of computer memory that can be accessed
randomly;that is, anybyte ofmemorycan be accessedwithout
touching the preceding bytes. RAMis the most commontype
of memoryfoundincomputers and other devices, suchas
printers.
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-
instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-
8#q=what+is+random+access+memory
Random access memoryis the most
common type ofmemoryfoundin
computers and devicessuch as printers, in
RAManybyte of memorycan be accessed
without havingto touchanyof the
preceding bytes.
Mono Audio Mono Audio. When you're using headphones, youmaymiss
some audio if you're deaf or hardof hearing in one ear. That's
because stereorecordings usuallyhave distinct left- and right-
channelaudio tracks.
https://www.apple.com/accessibility/ios/
Mono Audio is when the soundis played
through one speaker as a whole rather
than split into twoseparate left andright
channels.
Stereo Audio Audio stereo means soundwhichis divided into twoseparate
channels. These twochannelsare playedbacksimultaneously
via separate speakers. The effect is to create a fuller sound,
and provide the abilityto mix certainsounds between
channels.
http://www.mediacollege.com/glossary/s/stereo.html
Stereo Audiois whenthe soundis played
through two speakers separatedintoa left
and right channel to give a more full sound
to the track.
Surround Sound Surroundsoundis a term usedto describe a type of audio
output inwhich the sound appears to "surroundthe listener"
by360 degrees. Surroundsoundsystems use three or more
channels andspeakers in front andbehind the listener to
create a surrounding envelope of sound and directional audio
sources.
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/S/surround_sound.html
Surroundsoundis whenthe audioplays
through three or more channelsthat
surround the listener. Thiscreates a
surroundingenvelope of sound. It also
provides directional audiosources.
Direct Audio (Pulse Code
Modulation – PCM)
Pulse-code modulation(PCM) is a methodusedto digitally
represent sampled analog signals. It is the standardform of
digital audioincomputers, Compact Discs, digitaltelephony
and other digital audio applications. Ina PCMstream, the
amplitude ofthe analog signalis sampled regularlyat uniform
intervals, andeach sample is quantizedto the nearest value
within a range ofdigital steps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-code_modulation
PCM is usedto digitallyrepresent sampled
analogue signals. The analogue signal is
sampledregularlyat uniformintervals.

4. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
4
AUDIO RECORDING SYSTEMS Analogue Analog (or analogue) recording(Greek, ana is "accordingto"
and logos "relationship") is a technique usedfor the recording
of analogsignals which, among manypossibilities, analogaudio
and analog videofor later playback. Analogrecording methods
store signals as a continuous signal in or onthe media.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analog_recording
Analogue is a recording technique which
records analogue signals whichit then
stores as a continuous signalinor on the
media.
Digital Mini Disc One easywayto think about a MiniDisc is like a floppydisk--
you can record and erase files ona MiniDisc just as easilyas
you can on a floppydisk. The bigdifference betweenthe a
MiniDisc anda floppydiskis that a MiniDisc canholdabout 100
times more data (about 140 megabytes indata mode, 160
megabytes inaudiomode vs. 1.44 megabytes for a floppy).
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/question55.htm
A Minidisc canbe usedto recordor erase
files andholds about 140 – 160 megabytes
of data.
Compact Disc (CD) A compact disc [sometimesspelleddisk](CD) is a small,
portable, round medium made of moldedpolymer (close in
size to the floppydisk)for electronicallyrecording, storing, and
playing backaudio, video, text, and other informationindigital
form.
http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/definition/compact-disc
A compact disc is a formof portable
electronic storage that canbe usedfor
recording or playing back videos, audio
and other digital information.
Digital Audio Tape (DAT) DAT (Digital AudioTape)is a standard mediumandtechnology
for the digital recordingof audioon tape at a professional level
of quality. A DAT drive is a digitaltape recorder withrotating
heads similar to those foundin a video deck. Most DAT drives
can record at sample rates of44.1 kHz, the CD audiostandard,
and 48 kHz.
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/DAT-Digital-Audio-
Tape
Digital Audiotape is usedfor the digital
recording ofaudio ontoa tape at a
professional level of quality.
MIDI MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol
developedinthe 1980's which allows electronic instruments
and other digital musicaltools to communicate witheach
other.
http://www.instructables.com/id/What-is-MIDI/
MIDI is a protocol allowing electronic
instruments andother digital tools to
communicate;thiswas developedinthe
1980’s.
Software Sequencers In digital audiorecording, a sequencer is a program in a
computer or stand-alone keyboardunit that puts together a
soundsequence from a series(or sequence) of Musical
Instrument Digital Interface ( MIDI ) events (operations).
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/sequencer
A software sequencer is a programme that
puts a sequence of sounds from a series of
MIDI events.
Software Plug-ins In computing, a plug-in(or add-in/ addin, plugin, extension or
add-on / addon)is a software component that adds a specific
A software plug-inis anextension to an
existingpiece of software that adds a

5. Salford City College
Eccles Sixth Form Centre
BTEC Extended Diploma in GAMES DESIGN
Unit 73: Sound For Computer Games
IG2 Task 1
5
feature to an existing software application. When an
applicationsupports plug-ins, it enables customization.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug-in_%28computing%29
specific feature or customizable option.
MIDI Keyboard Instruments MIDI musicalinstruments, alsoknownas synthesizers, come in
all different shapesandsizes. Their chiefcharacteristic -- or
what differentiatesthem from MIDI controllers -- is that they
generate sound as wellas MIDI data.
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/midi2.htm
MIDI instruments will generate soundas
well as MIDI data, these are also knownas
synthesizers.
AUDIO SAMPLING File Size Constraints - Bit-depth Bit depthis the number of bits used to carrythe data ineach
sample of audio. The bit depthchosen for recording limits the
dynamic range of the recording.
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Bit_Depth
The bit-depth will limit the dynamic range
that the recording canreach.
File Size Constraints - Sample
Rate
Sample rate is the number of samplesof audiocarriedper
second, measuredinHz or kHz (one kHz being 1 000 Hz). For
example, 44 100 samples per secondcanbe expressedas
either 44 100 Hz, or 44.1 kHz.
Bandwidthis the difference between the highest andlowest
frequenciescarriedinan audiostream. The samplerate of
playback or recording determines the maximum audio
frequencythat canbe reproduced.
http://wiki.audacityteam.org/wiki/Sample_Rates
The sample rate whichcanbe measured as
KHz or Hz is the number of samplesof
audiothat are carriedper second. The
sample rate ofthe playback or recording
shows the maximumaudiofrequencythat
it can reproduce.